A Valentine’s Day Village & Tablescape

This post shares “A Valentine’s Day Tablescape”, featuring a Department 56 Valentine Village. The tablescape also features Valentine’s Day Dinnerware. In addition, the “how to” section on Villages deals with “how to make a seasonal village on your dining table” and includes ideas regarding purchasing village pieces and planning your village. There is an additional section regarding finding solutions to light and power problems in your village.

The Valentine Village on my Valentine’s Day Table

Welcome to the Lake !!!!

Welcome to the Lake! I’m so glad you are here for a visit! This week’s Valentine’s day tablescape, is featuring a Valentine’s Day Village that I have been wanting to put together for almost a decade. Years ago I received many of the pieces below as gifts, but I just didn’t seem to have a spot to set up the village.

Then, when I started doing tablescapes more often, I noticed some websites that included Christmas tablescapes with Snow Villages. I realized that setting my Valentine’s Day Buildings in the midst of a table that is set for Valentine’s Day – would be a special way to share my village, and would not require any additional space.

Scenes from “Valentine Village“

I love to tell stories with my village, and to make it personal whenever possible. The village life scenes below involve Village People from various different Department 56 villages. As I’m setting out the Snow Village People, I like to picture what could be happening in each scene. I think visitors enjoy the village when they can picture what is “happening” to the town residents. When the things that are happening in the village bring back memories of happy holiday times in each one’s own life, that’s when the Village becomes magical.

Outside the first building -“The Chapel of Love”- a young couple has just been married and is seen leaving the church.

Below, at “Barbie’s Dream House” Barbie is walking her Golden Retriever. We try to have at least one golden retriever in each holiday village to honor our 1 1/2 year old Golden – “Simba”. “Barbie’s Dream House is our “Simba Scene”. You might also enjoy looking for our husky Grandpuppy – “Athena” in the following scenes. Hint: In the Village, “Athena” lives near “Simba”.

Barbie’s next door neighbor, lives in the “Year Round Traditions House” aka the “All Season’s Holiday House”. This house reminds us of our house, as we love to decorate outside and inside for each holiday. Above, the daughter of the family who lives here, is being seranated by her high school boyfriend on his violin.

Neighboring the “Holiday House”, is the “Hearts and Blooms Cottage” where the daughter has set up a kissing booth, and is kissing her boyfriend. Meanwhile, her brothers prepare to tease the romantic couple.

Next door to the “Hearts and Blooms cottage”, is the town “Ice Cream Parlor”. As ice cream is near and dear to my heart, this is one of my favorite buildings. I love the roof that is made of waffle cone, with ice cream, whip cream and a cherry on top. In the below scene – School children have just gotten some snacks at the ice cream parlor, while their younger siblings get help holding their cones from the store’s owner.

Next to the ice cream store is the beautiful and ornate “Cupid’s Card Shop” with a Cupid weather vane on the roof. A Barbershop quartet provides romantic music for the couple next door, as the boyfriend gets down on one knee and …

proposes to his girlfriend. He chose the “Sweetheart Candy Shop” as the place to propose, because that is where the couple first met. She looks like she is saying “YES”.

Meanwhile showing “Young Love” a boy pushes his first grade “crush” on the town swing (below). At the neighboring “Lily’s Nursery and Gifts” the store owners children’s help carry a customer’s purchases.

While at the “Happy Easter Church” next door another Valentine’s couple, leaves the church Valentine’s day celebration.

Valentine Village – view of the street – in sections

The left front of the Valentine Village

The front center of Valentine Village

The right front of Valentine Village

The Valentine Village just before “last light”.

Below are a few table details, which will be followed by LOTS of Snow Village Details, photos, and tips for making and lighting a tabletop Seasonal Village

The Table Settings

The plate stack is as follows:

The Charger plate is from Maryland China.

The melamine heart plates were purchased around 2004-2008. These are one of my earliest sets of holiday dishes. I love how the design of hearts is simple, which I think looks best with the “busy” nature of the village. I also love that the main colors of white, red, and pink on the plates, blends well with the colors of the Department 56 buildings. The pattern is “Valentine’s 08”, and the dinnerware was made in China and originally sold at Target.

Other items in the place setting include our Oneida flatware which is available at Amazon, and napkins and napkin rings from Homegoods (2024) …

and my Morgantown Glass goblets – “Golf Ball” pattern (often available on eBay).

View From the Backyards

When I planned this table top village, I had originally planned to stagger the houses, so they looked good from both sides of the table, but that didn’t really work out how I had visualized it. I decided, since our guests are always seated facing the lake, that I would face the village towards them and where it can be viewed from the rest of the house easily.

This left a problem with what to do to make the back yard side of the buildings look good to those sitting on that side of the table.

Solutions for Obstacles at the Back of the Buildings

In addition to the fact that the back of the houses are not as pretty as the front, any village lit houses sitting on a solid surface, leave a web of cords, battery adapters, on/off switches, and an occasional extra bulb socket and light that is permanent, and cannot be removed from the building.

To deal with these problems, I usually use Snow Village stone or brick fencing, or a potted tree, etc. When space or number of buildings available allows a backward facing row of houses behind the front facing houses, those additional buildings will solve a lot of the problems with cords and the like. However, since I do not have any more Valentine’s Day buildings, nor do I have enough space on the table, I decided to use Department 56 potted plants to cover unsightly battery boxes, etc. I like the potted topiaries and green trees as they gave some beauty to the backyards, and also beautify the front of the village when visible from there. In addition I added some decorative Valentine’s “hollow” trees as well. I realized that the hollow trees can solve a multitude of problems by just going over the top of the offending item. See below for the “hollow tree solution to the non-removable light. (this light, when it is put in its usual hole in the house – blocks the needed battery operated light. Because the light couldn’t be removed entirely, I covered it with a hollow tree. I plan to try to find some more of these “hollow trees” for different holidays at Homegoods.

Adding Interest to the Backyards

Hoping to make things interesting in the backyards, I added some additional accessories, This gives the backyards some “scenes” similar to those in the front.

Mom shares her prize winning dessert with her kids.

Lighting Problems and Solutions

Due to the traffic pattern in and around out dining room table, Wayne and I felt that running a cord from an outlet to the table would not be a good idea.

In making my village, I explored three possible cordless power solutions. However, the only one that worked was the “Anywhere lighting by Department 56”

“Display Anywhere Lighting” – Retrofit Unit by Department 56 # 56.53501

This is a viable option, as the light with the batteries fits inside almost every Department 56 building, leaving only the small on/off button and cord visible. These “Display Anywhere Lighting” solutions are available directly from Amazon or from Department 56. It is said that each set of 4 batteries have 75 hours of run time in them. This will get you a lot of “dinners” but if your really want to keep your village on 10 -15 hours a day (like we do with our other villages) this is likely not a practical option.

Two other possibilities for battery power that I considered were Lemax village battery operated LED lights, and votive battery operated candles. Unfortunately neither worked for me, as the Lemax ones were too large for the light “holes” in my buildings, and many of the LED votive candles did not fit thru the light hole, or did not fit upright in the building, or got stuck inside the building. However, if you know of something better than these 3 possible solutions to solve the cord problem, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! Thanks so much!!

Just wanted to let you know – if all the power info is overwhelming, please don’t give up on having a village. I have seen villages with no lights, and villages with just a string or two of fairy lights, and all of these villages are beautiful.

Our History With Department 56 and the Valentine’s Day Village

My husband and I began our Snow Village collection the year we got married. We chose the Original Snow Village by Department 56, as our village to collect because it has a 1950’s-1960’s theme. The buildings, the hairstyles on the village people, as well as their clothes and activities, all reflected the era and traditions of our childhood. In addition, this was the only village that we saw that had the glossy ceramic finish, which we both really liked.

Our First Snow Village House “Cumberland House”

From 2002-2005 Department 56 added a subset of Original Snow Village pieces that celebrated Valentine’s Day. My Valentine’s Day Village was begun mostly with buildings from this “Celebrate Love” village.

However, the four houses above seemed to be too few buildings for a village or a table display, so I looked at what I could add to it, and decided that two of the Easter Village pieces could be made to fit into the Valentine’s Village as well – the “Happy Easter Church” and “Lilly’s Nursery and Gifts”.

Then, I added 2 houses from the Christmas part of The Original Snow Village Line. One of them is a long retired “Ice Cream Parlor” and one of them is the – The “All Seasons Holiday House”. The All Seasons Holiday House is unique in the Snow Village line because it does not feature any permanent snow for the house, but instead contains removable snow and changeable decorations, both of which allow the house to be used for all seasons and holidays.

Finally I added another house – one from the Barbie line, which I added because I thought this pink house would look great for Valentine’s Day!

All of these houses are listed in the “Table Details and Origins” section below. As all of these houses and most of the accessories are retired, and eBay is likely the best place to find them. If you are thinking of buying some retired village pieces you may want to check out the eBay tips for buying retired Village pieces in the following section of this post.

I am doing my “Table Details and Origins” page a little differently today so you can see the items with their product numbers, and the village name, etc. just in case anyone is wanting to look for these pieces online. I hope this will be a help.

Tablescape Details and Origins – Including Tabletop Battery Operated Power for Villages

Heart Plates from Target “Valentine’s Day 08” are no longer available. Similar heart plates may be available seasonally from Homegoods, Target, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Williams-Sonoma, Upware on Amazon and many other retailers

Morgantown Glass – “Golf Ball Pattern” – often available on eBay

Red Rhinestone Napkin Rings – Homegoods – 2024

Valentine Table Runner – Homegoods – 2024

Oneida “Marquette” flatware – Amazon

Napkins – Homegoods 2024

White 13″ Openwork Chargers – Maryland China – note: the price goes down for each plate when you buy 6 or more.

Display Anywhere lighting Retrofit unit by Department 56 # 56.53501 from Amazon or Display Anywhere Lighting – Retrofit Unit by Department56.com # 56.53501

Tablescape Details and Origins for The Valentine’s Day Village – Houses & Accessories

Below this section, is a Section of Shopping Tips for Department 56 items, and other Vintage Village Items including some eBay Tips

Part 1 – Buildings from the “Celebrate Love” series within The Original Snow Village by Department 56

From the “Celebrate Love” section of Original Snow Village, I used the following buildings

“The Chapel of Love” 56.55354 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

with “The Happy Couple” a two piece set , heart tree is from Homegoods.

“Hearts and Blooms Cottage” 56.55097 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Start your Engines” (2 teenage boys above)

4030750 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Kissing Booth” scroll down for more details

“Young Love” Accessory Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

The “Young Love” Accessory shown above is part of the Hearts and Blooms Cottage 2 piece set

In “Young Love” a little boy pushes a little girl on the swing.

” Cupid’s Card Shop” 56.55374 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

is a beautifully ornate building with Cupid on the weather vane.

“Flattops Barbershop Quartet 6000650

“Sweetheart Candy Shop” 56.55323 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Spoiled by Grandma” (small boy with Grandma holding pie) 4030750

and I also used one Celebrate Love accessory (shown below – sold separately from the buildings)

“Kissing Booth” 56.55215 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

Part 2 – Buildings from the “Easter” Series of The Original Snow Village

“Lilly’s Nursery and Gifts” which includes “Gifts for Easter” Accessory (the girl in pink dress with a bunny and the boy in a striped shirt with a plant) Easter The Original Snow Village by Department 56.

“Be Mine” heart decoration is from “Village Accessories-Year Round Lighted Lawn Ornaments” 56.53125

“Happy Easter Church” 56.55325 includes “Joyful Greetings”Accessory (church sign and minister – the minister is not pictured) Accessory Easter The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Chapel of love – Happy Couple” (man in gray suit woman in pink dress) 56.55354 Celebrate Love The Original Snow Village by Department 56

Part 3 – Buildings from The Original Snow Village

“Year Round Traditions” aka “All Seasons Holiday House” 56.55321 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

Department 56 Snow Village 56 Flavor Ice Cream Parlor Shop 56.51519 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Dairy Queen – DQ Cool Treats to eat” (3 girls eating ice cream)40487

Dairy Queen DQ (DQ worker and two kids) not in snow village History LIst – number and name unknown

Part 4 Barbie- Dream House Properties by Department 56

“Barbie Dream House” 56-59087 (Hot Properties) Department 56 –

Barbie and dog came with house

Part 5 – Other Accessories

Because the “Celebrate Love” Series contained only 2 accessories, I grabbed some accessories from my Christmas Snow Village (which is on display all year) and added them to the Valentine’s Day village.

Unfortunately all of the houses in this post are retired, but if you would like to make a Village like this for your home, most of the buildings can be found on eBay. I have had very good luck with Department 56 items from eBay, but it is important to double check all the details, most sellers are conscientious at describing what, if anything, is missing or not working, and then its up to you to decide if that is a “deal breaker” or not.

“For Your Sweetheart”56.58987 Christmas In The City Series by Department 56

“Will You Marry Me” 56.55404 The Original Snow Village by Department 56 accessory on left

“The Flattops Barbershop Quartet” 6000650 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

The Ceramic Flowering Trees above are from Department 56, but not from “The Original Snow Village”. They are from the “Snow Babies” and “Snow Bunnies”Collections. Trees come in boxes labeled “Spring Topiaries”, “Flowering Spring Trees” and “Spring Topiary”. Although there seems to be a lot of disagreement about which trees come in which set, some numbers associated with some of the trees are 56.26385, and 56.23755.

The non-ceramic trees are from Lemax or from the Department 56 Villages.

“We’ll Win For Sure” 56.55251 (teen boy and girl on their way to a dance competion) The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Crayola Holiday Coloring Party” 6009707 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Coffee Station Catch up” 4059388 (two women having coffee at a table) The Original Snow Village by Department 56

Another Man’s Treasure 56.54976 The Original Snow Village by Department 56

“Blue Ribbon Treats” 807286 (Mom shares her prize winning dessert with her children)The Original Snow Village by Department 56

Part 6 -Additional Holiday Items

I like to add holiday specific items to my displays and often use the following holiday accessories for various village displays.

Shopping Tips for Retired Department 56 and other Village Items.

In my experience, the best and easiest place to find retired Snow Village is on eBay. The tips that follow, are things I wish I would have known before shopping on eBay.

1. Search for your items by using various searching descriptions – for example, search once with department 56 number, then search with name, then search for what a spouse might call it if he was tasked with the selling of it on eBay. EBay’s search engine will usually work with the words Department 56, or dept. 56, or dept 56 used interchangeably but it doesn’t hurt to try different combinations. However, do not try all of the combinations together, as too many details can sometimes cause your wanted item not to show up. Trying multiple searches helps you find MORE of your wanted item, which in turn gives you more prices to choose from. Department 56 items, at times, are cheaper than their original listed price and are sometimes more than 5X above their listed price when first available. Shop carefully and compare many prices and descriptions, from the many different sellers.
2. I have had good luck on many “buy it now” items where you don’t need to bid. If you are new to eBay shopping “Buy it now” is a usually a good way to start.
3. Always allow for the shipping which is listed, and for the tax.
4. At times when I do bid, I have had good luck bidding only near closing time. At closing time, I often will let eBay increase the bid automatically by setting a maximum price for them to bid. Your automatic bid goes up (according to eBay) only when another’s bid is higher than your original bid- but not over the max you committed too. Auto bids are faster than “typed in” bids, so sometimes it saves you at the end of the auction. However I recommend NEVER making your max bid more than you wish to pay. I have had times I have set my maximum bid for example, at $200, and gotten it for $20 when no one bid against me, but I never count on this.
5. I recommend paying attention to seller ratings – you probably want a seller with a high rating.
6. I always pay attention to how items that arrive in great condition were packed. Then I message the next seller I purchase from as to what works for the type of item purchased. I respectfully suggest that they pack it that way or possibly a better way if they know of one. In my opinion, Snow Village items should always have a kleenex or many kleenexes packed inside the Styrofoam sleeve, if needed, to keep items and parts from moving in the box. Often Snow Village boxes came originally with small sponge pieces to add security, however over time these sponge pieces get lost. I also like, lots of any kind of packing between product box and shipping box, so item is well padded and the product box does not bang around within the shipping box. Many sellers are experts, but a few kind suggestions doesn’t hurt in case even an experienced seller is not familiar with the “best practices” for Snow Village and other fragile items. I encourage sellers to tape things that are at risk by taping on plastic bag that is hopefully around the item, and to the styrofoam rather than the cardboard sleeve. I prefer blue painting tape be used on styrofoam as it usually comes off safely. Don’t be afraid to say what you prefer. btw, I have never had a seller cancel a sale because I added these extra instructions, but if it happens, I will consider myself lucky to have not made the purchase.
7. I very seldom order Department 56 items without the original box (due to shipping and storing concerns.) however, if the price is right, and the seller has a safe packing plan, you might find that somethings without the original box, come at a lesser price.
8. Its almost impossible to describe some of the snow village items well enough to find them, however, if you have the name or product number it makes eBay shopping very easy. Therefore, if you don’t know the name and/or number of items you want. You will be happy to know the department56 website has a wonderful listing of all retired pieces with pictures, official names and numbers. To get to these go to https://retiredproducts.department56.com and then select the village you want. In my case the village is original snow village, so I click on the original snow village name and picture which takes me to: https://retiredproducts.department56.com/collections/original-snow-village This is a great starting point for finding names and product numbers of anything you might like. Please note the price listed in this index is the item’s original issue price. When you search for these items on eBay, the sales price is set by the seller and may be more than list price or may be less. But either way, the houses will usually sell for much less than the cost of department 56 items for things produced today. So searching retired items can be a great way to fill a village at a less than expected price. However, you may find that some retired pieces are more expensive than retired, as supply, and demand inflate the prices, especially on items where not many were made – such as the “Celebrate Love” items, The “Easter Items” and certain hard to find items, or items that have gained significance in the popular culture – such as “Starbucks”, “Chick-fil-et” and “Harley Davidson”.
9. And finally, the #1 thing that tripped me up many times – I don’t know if this is how eBay is designed to work, but its something I have seen often enough to believe it is intentional (and effective for eBay). For example, if you are searching for a Department 56 ski lodge, and you type “Department 56 Ski lodge” perhaps 60 items will come up. but as you look thru the list you see one or two things that do not fit exactly – such a an operating ski slope. If you have never seen it this accessory before, and you like it, you will likely want to buy it right then, especially because you are only seeing one of them which leads you to believe there is only one ski slope available. This is where I learned I needed to make a separate search for that “random” item that popped into my list if I was interested in it. In this new search, you are likely to find that there are actually perhaps 15 of these for sale, not one, and if you take the time to check out all 15, you may find that the one that “popped In” was definitely not the one with the most reasonable price. So the most important rule of ebay is to do multiple searches for the exact item that you are about to put in your cart. Compare seller rating, price, condition in pictures, condition in description, and price of shipping before making a purchase. It may sound like it is not worth the trouble, but it gives you access to things produced in multiple decades, and allows you to purchase something that is meaningful to you rather than just something that snow village made during the current calendar year.

Please let me know if this advice makes sense, or if you have other suggestions or questions. To let me know your thoughts, please comment in the comment section at the end of this post.

BTW, the above are just my suggestions based on my eBay shopping experiences, the decisions are entirely up to you. If you do chose to shop vintage items on eBay, I sincerely hope it is a great experience and brings you many great vintage items to enjoy!!!

I hope you enjoyed this Valentine Village and Tablescape. I’d love to hear from you and hear about any seasonal villages you have, or any that you would like to have. I’d love it if you would comment in the comment section at the very bottom of this post. Your comments mean the world to me!!!!

From My “Village” to yours …

I hope you have a Special Valentine’s Day!

Posts I Hope You Will Like

If you liked this Snow Village Post, I think you will also like

“Christmas Tree” Tablescapes and Snow Village of Christmas Past

and if you liked the Valentine’s Tablescape in this post, you may also like

A Masquerading Mickey and Minnie Mouse Emcee a Mardi Gras Party

A Valentine’s Day Tablescape with Mickey and Minnie Mouse

A “Sweet” Valentine’s Day Table at Sunset

A Sweethearts® Tablescape for My Sweetheart

Mickey and Minnie and their Dragon Friends Celebrate the Lunar New Year!!!

“Will you Be My Valentine?” Romantic Valentine’s Day Tablescape

Link Parties

Following is a list of websites I really like!  They are listed under the day of the week where they also host a Family Friendly “Link Party” aka “Blog Hop”.

If you click on the name of the blog (in blue) on the evening of the day of the week they are listed under, it should take you to the Link Party, where many bloggers have joined with them to share their own ideas.  I love how the link parties connect you with both a great blog, and other blogger’s ideas as well!  Many thanks to all these bloggers for bringing so many ideas to all of us!!! 

You can actually find these link parties any day of the week, by clicking on the website name below, but once you click, you may need to scroll thru a few entries to find the link party you are looking for. 

Sunday 

Life as a Leo wife (Nikki), Eclectic Red Barn (Beverly),  Décor Craft Design (Mel) ,A Labour of Life (Linda),  Ducks ‘n a Row (Sinea),  Love My Messy Messy Mess (Katie)   host “Happiness is Homemade” Link Party.  I love checking out the home decor, holiday decorations and current projects of all the hostesses as well as the ideas from their link party ! 

Life and Linda hosts “Love Your Creativity Link Party”.  I love checking out Linda’s gorgeous holiday decorations and tablescapes, and her chandelier decorations are a beautiful finishing touch!!

The House on Silverado  hosts – “Sundays on Silverado” link party. I am fairly new to Niky’s site but am loving her holiday decorating and her new grandma stories!!

Ridge Haven Homestead  – “Sunday Sunshine” Blog Hop.  In addition to the blog hop, I am enjoying reading about Laurie’s homestead, the “off the grid” lifestyle they are living and the cabin they are building. 

April J Harris – hosts Hearth and Soul Link Party monthly on the first Sunday of the month. I am enjoying reading about April’s traveling adventures, as well as her projects at home!  

Monday

Life Tales Books Blogspot  hosts Will Blog for Comments Link Party. Jennifer is a Photos and Story Treasures Consultant, and I am enjoying her ideas on photos and memory books, as well as her link party!  

Holly-Pink Lady(Holly) and Sunshine and books blog (Sarah) host “Hello Monday Link Party”. In addition to the link party, I am enjoying Sarah’s book recommendations, and Holly’s recipes and party ideas.  

Between Naps on the Porch hosts  “Metamorphosis Monday” posts, which are all about “Befores and Afters”. I love seeing Susan’s amazing home projects which are very inspiring!! I always come away with some great ideas from her posts and from those who have linked up!! 

The following link, Senior Salon Pit Stop will get you to the link party on Esme’s site as well as getting you to some great recipes and other ideas!

Charlene at A Pinch of Joy hosts “Busy Mondays”. Charlene’s website is all about home decorating, and holiday decorations and recipes. The first two things are things I love to do and the Recipes are things I like to eat!

Good random fun blogspot hosts The Good.Random.Fun. link party  Tamar’s website has some great photography, interesting places to visit, and thoughts on many things. Recently, I enjoyed reading about Hanukkah celebrations! 

Beverly at Eclectic Red Barn, Nicky at  Life as a Leo Wife, Michelle at  Moms are frugal and a few other hostesses host “You’re the Star Blog Hop” I love checking out these websites and the link party for holiday decor, crafts, money saving ideas and tablescapes. 

Tuesday

A Stroll Thru Life   hosts  the “Inspire me Tuesday” link party. Marty has an eye for design and decorating, and turning your house into a home. I always enjoy reading about her projects. 

Eclectic Red Barn (Beverly)  and Penny’s Passion (Penny) host the “Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop” which often opens on Tuesday evenings. I have enjoyed Beverly’s Red Barn project and her projects and decorating . Penny’s website has both projects and recipes I have enjoyed reading about – and more – see “Thinking Out Loud” under “Thursday” in this list. 

Jenerally Informed  hosts the “Happy Now Link Party”. Jen from Jenerally informed and Leslie from playmates to parties host “happy now” which brings many craft and decorating ideas and recipes for fun holiday foods. 

Perfectly Imperfect-LWL hosts the “Tell It To Me Tuesday Link Party” which brings many decorating ideas, recipes, and ideas for family activities. 

Kim and Cassie from Lou Lou Girls host the the “Fabulous Party”. Lou Lou Girls post unique recipes, family activities, DIY and party ideas! 

Marci at Stone Cottage Adventures hosts “Tuesdays with a Twist”. Marci posts on gardening, sewing, recipes, crafts and books! Marci’s link party contains many other fun ideas as well. 

Wednesday

Karin’s Kottage hosts the “Karin’s Kottage Link party”.  I am also enjoying keeping up with Karin’s Italian Palace remodel! as well as her decorating ideas, crafts, grandchild activities and home projects. 

French Ethereal hosts a “Share Your Style”  link party where decorating, recipes, fashion, tablescape styles are all shared. 

Esme Salon recently began hosting a “Wordless Wednesday” photography link party – I can’t wait to link up!

Creatively Beth  hosts the “Creatively Crafty” Link Party. Beth’s website contains wonderful craft posts, including amazing up-cycle, from scratch, and Dollar Store Crafts. Beth’s link party contains a variety of family friendly posts including recipes, crafts, and holiday decor. 

Ridge Haven Homestead hosts the Homestead Blog Hop.  I am also enjoying reading about the off the grid home that Laurie and her family are building. 

Karin at Fifth Sparrow No More, hosts “Whimsy Home Link Party”. Karin posts about Finding the Beauty – in decorating, travel and faith and family! 

Cecelia at My Thrift Store Addiction hosts “Vintage Charm” link party. What Cecelia does with her thrift store finds is so creative!

Thursdays

I often participate in Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday. I have been following Susan for quite a long time, and absolutely love her Tablescapes!!! I also love the ideas shared on her Tablescape Thursday link party! 

Katherine’s corner hosts the  “TFT – Thursday Favorite Things” blog hop.  I love the assortment of wonderful decorating, recipe, tablescape, and inspirational ideas found here. 

Southern Sunflowers   hosts their “Home Matters Link Party” at 8 CT on Thursday.  I have really enjoyed linking to their link party and the various decorating, recipe, tablescape and craft ideas found on this website and their “Home Matters” Link Party. 

Penny’s Passion  hosts the “Thinking Out Loud Link Party” which often begins on Thursday. Thinking out Loud is a great post published each Thursday, and covers many interesting topics. Today the topic was “elf on the shelf – for empty nesters”and I love the traditions Penny has started in her home. So cute!

Roentare.zenfolio blog hosts a photography link party each week.  The photography is absolutely gorgeous, as are the places he and his wife photograph! 

Good Random Fun  hosts the “Little Things” link party, which I enjoy. Its a place for sharing and reading about lots of different topics and ideas. 

Marsha in the Middle and Melynda, from Scratch Made Food for Hungry People, and Lisa, from Boondock Ramblings host “Weekend Traffic Jam” which goes live on Thursday at 8:30 pm CT. Marsha posts about Fashion and the link party contains holiday decorations, fashion, and recipes (to name a few of the family friendly links). 

Friday

Stephanie at Crazy Little Lovebirds hosts the “Crazy Little Lovebirds link party.” It is a gathering for home decor ideas, recipes, tablescapes, reflections, etc. I am enjoying being a part fo this group. 

Building Our Hive hosts the “Funtastic Friday” Link Party which includes recipes, home decor, tablescapes, crafts, travel and other family friendly posts. 

Cindy at County Road 407  hosts the “Farmhouse Friday” Link Party, which begins at 6:30 am CT each Friday and features home decor – all styles; holiday decorating, tablescapes, crafts, etc. 

Andrea at The Cottage Market hosts “A Morning Cup of Joe” link party. Both the website and the link party feature DIY projects, Recipes, home decor, crafts and holiday decorations. 

Erika at A Little Bit of Everything and Andrea at Momfessionals, host “Friday Favorites”. Both websites and the link party feature family activities, home decor, fashion, entertaining, recipes, and holiday decorations and traditions. 

At Lou Lou Girls Kim, Cassie and Amber bring lots of good recipes and family activities to us and also host “Fabulous Friday” a link party that brings us recipes, holiday decor, family activities and many other family friendly ideas! 

Saturday

Pieced Pastimes  Hosts “Saturday Sparks Party”  which includes home decors, recipes and holiday fun foods, tablescapes, crafts, etc. Among the many things I appreciate at Pieced Pastimes is the first picture of many posts, where Suzanne shows her current view at home (in New Hampshire) I love her wonderful view in all weather!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to Valentine Village! I want to wish you a Very, Very, Happy Valentine’s Day! And I hope you can

Come Back Soon!

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